High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the rule of law at the national and international levels

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On 24 September 2012, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Rule of Law at the National and International Levels (resolution 67/1).

In the Declaration, the General Assembly reaffirmed Member States’ commitment to the rule of law and asserted that the rule of law applied to all States equally, and to international organizations, including the United Nations and its principal organs, and that respect for and promotion of the rule of law and justice should guide all of their activities and accord predictability and legitimacy to their actions. The Assembly also recognized the work being undertaken by organizations of the United Nations system and called for greater coordination and coherence in these efforts, including integration of the rule of law in the post-2015 development agenda.

As acknowledged in the Declaration, the rule of law applies to all States and international organizations equally, including the United Nations, and respect for and promotion of the rule of law and justice should guide all of their activities and accord predictability and legitimacy to their actions (ibid., para. 2). In furtherance of the Declaration, and in recognition of the fundamental importance of the rule of law to peace and security, development and human rights, the Secretary-General decided to mainstream the rule of law in the work of the United Nations. At its second regular session in 2012, CEB agreed to support the Secretary-General in this initiative.